The solar energy industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Much of this expansion is due to an increase in residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) arrays that convert light into electrical power. Although PV arrays can be connected to a utility power grid, PV arrays output direct current (DC) power and utility power grids require alternating current (AC) power input. As a result, inverters are typically used to convert the DC power produced by the PV arrays into the AC power required by utility grids.
A typical high current inverter includes an integrated power module (IPM) with power electronics and switching devices to form the AC output. The DC power is typically fed to a printed circuit board (PCB) attached to input terminals of the IPM. The PCB carries one or more capacitors are used as a low impedance power storage source. Accordingly, all of the DC power source flows through the PCB to provide the input to the IPM.
FIG. 1, for example, is a schematic diagram of several components that can provide a low impedance, high frequency input required by a typical inverter. More specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a DC power source input 102 coupled to a PCB 104. The PCB 104 carries a storage circuit including one or more capacitors 106 and is also coupled an IPM 108. In operation, current flows from the DC source 102 to the PCB 104 as indicated by a first arrow 104. The current then flows from the PCB 104 to the IPM 108, as indicated by a second arrow 112. The current accordingly flows through the PCB 104, and the capacitors 106 can store the current to deliver it when needed by the IPM 108. As such, the capacitors 106 are able to provide high frequency current at a low impedance to the IPM 108. In this configuration, all of the current from the DC source 102 passes through the PCB 104 before reaching the IPM 108.